April 19, 2011 - 14:01 AMT
Tchoboian: French Senate can’t adopt bill on criminalization of Armenian Genocide denial

President of the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAJFD) Hilda Tchoboian said that the constitutional commission of the French Senate cannot approve a bill, which has not been introduced to the Senate, let alone the voting that is allegedly set for May 4, since one cannot vote for something that does not exist.

“The bill on criminalization of the Armenian Genocide denial will not be adopted by the French Senate, with the President, government and Senate majority opposing to it. But this does not mean that we should sit twiddling our thumbs. We will continue efforts aimed at putting the bill on the Senate agenda,” Tchoboian told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

The Socialist parliamentary group has initiated adoption of the bill on criminalization of the Armenian Genocide denial. The group also authored the bill adopted by the French National Assembly in 2006.

Earlier Turkish media reported that the constitutional commission of the French Senate has rejected the bill.